Dispensing container and closure therefor



March- 24, 1 936. H, E, VAN NESS 2,035,004

DISPENSING CONTAINER AND CLOSURE THEREFOR Filed June e, 19:54/

INVENTOR I lcwv? 5.' l Z044 I BY ATTORNEY Patenten Mar. 24,1936

UNITED STATES gnam DISPENSING CQNTAINER AND CLOSURE 'EHEREFOB Henry E. van Ness, Elmira, N. Y. Application June 6, `1934, Serial No. 729,167

s claims., (ci. zei-co) This invention relates to an improved dispensing container, and more particularly to a closure therefor.

Dispensing containers for toothpaste, shaving cream and the like have heretofore been made by forming a thin metal tube having azneck and externally threading the neck to receive an internally threaded cap. A gasket is ordinarily placed inside the cap to insure a tight seal when the cap is screwed onto the neck of the tube.

Such tubes are ordinarily formed by a punch and die operation, the body of the tube being extruded through a small circular opening surrounding the punch. When the tube is punched out, the end of the punch retains a thin wall -of metal between its end and the bottom of the die which constitutes a thin metal partition, closing the upper end of the neck of the tube.

After the extrusion of the tube, the first steps in the manufacturing procedure heretofore ordinarily employed are (1) to open the closed end of the neck of the tube, (2) to roll a thread on the exterior of the neck of the tube, and (3) to screw an internally threaded cap containing a gasket onto the neck of the tube. Ordinarily, the neck of the tube is threaded for some distance, and to properly seat the cap thereon it is necessary to turn the cap several times. The tubes are thereafter enameled, labeled, baked and filled from the rear end which is then sealed.

In my simplified container, instead of the customary internally threaded cap,I use a cork or stopperwith an externally threaded plunger adapted to be inserted in the neck of the tube.

. When the diaphragm closing the top of the neck to engage the lowest turn of the thread on the.

stopper and position it correctly for insertion in the neck of the tube.

In one embodiment of' my invention, I have provided a stopper with a conically shaped plunger having a point by which the closed end of the neck of the tube may be readily punctured when the stopper is initially seated in the neck of th'e tube. In the manufacture of this embodiment of lmy container, the top end, or neck, of the tube may be left in the condition in which it is originally formed, the stopper being pro-l Itube after the closed end has been punctured;

`vided with the n11ed-tube-and inserted by the .altogether detached from the tube Without limiting or interfering with the necessary movements of the stopper. With thisfform of my invention, it is necessary to open the closed end of the neck of the tube, as has heretofore been done, but the gasket heretofore used with the internally threaded caps and the operation of rolling a thread on the exterior of the neck of the tube are both eliminated. l

4Other objects and advantages of my invention Will appear from the following description and the claims appended thereto, and the invention will best be understood if read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the tube before the top end of the neck is punctured;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the line 2-2 0f mg. 1; 3 Fig. 3 is a cross-section taken on the line 8-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a view partly in cross-section showing the closed end of the neck being punctured by the pointed cork or stopper; 35

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the tube after the closed end of the neck has been punctured;

Fig. 6 is a view partly in. cross-section of thev stopper shown in Fig. 4, seated in the neck of the' Fig. 7 is a -view partly in cross-section of a modified form of closure;

Fig. 8 is a view of the closure shown in Fig. 7, with the stopper removed from the neck of the tube; and y Fig. 9 is a view partly in cross-section of. a modified form of closure.

The tubeA l has a neck portion 2 which, as originallyforined, is closed at the top by a thin diaphragm 3;. On its external surface, the dia- 50 phragm 3 has a central depression surrounded by a helical concavity (la which, starting at the point a: on th e top of the shoulder tb, increases in depth until it reaches the point y at the bottom of the shoulder 6b. The inclination of the 55 helical concavity la corresponds to the helix angle oi the thread 5 on a cork or stopper adapted to be inserted in the neck oi' the tube. It will be seen that the concavity la is formed around the lip of the neck 2 of the tube, and. after the diaphragm 3 has been opened this concavity, by receiving the lowest portion of the thread E on the stoppen-positions the stopper so that it will be screwed in straight. J

In Figs. 4 and 6, I have shown a cork or stopper 6 having a conically shaped plunger 1, and in Figs. 7 and 8 I have shown a modied form oi' cork of stopper I0 having a plunger 9 in the form of a truncated cone. After the diaphragm 3 has been opened, the thread 5 of the stopper is engaged by the iiange 3a of the lip of the neck of the tube constituted by the remaining edge of the diaphragm 3, and this is true whether the stopper 6 shown in Figs. 4 and 6, or the stopper I0 shown in Figs. 7 and 8, is used. ,Only a partial turn kof the stopper is required to seat it tightly in the mouth of the tube.

. When the stopper B'is used, the diaphragm 3 closing the upper end of the neck of the tube may be readily punctured by the pointed end of the plunger 1, as shown in Fig. 4, and, by further rotation of the stopper, it may be firmly seated in the neck 2 of the tube as shown in Fig. 6.

When the stopper 6 is used, it will not be necessary-for the manufacturer to initially open the diaphragm 3 closing the upper end of the neck of the tube, but instead, the stopper may be simply supplied with the tube with directions for the user to puncture the `diaphragm 3 therewith preparatory to using the contents of the tube.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8, the stopper I0 is similar to stopper 6, except that the plunger 9 is in the i'orm of a truncated cone. Secured to the plunger of the stopper I0 is a wire Il, the coiled end Ila of which is sprung within the body of the tube l. While the coiled end I I a prevents the member I I from. being withdrawn through the neck of the tube, it does not prevent the stopper from being freely rotated, and also permits a limited withdrawal of the member Il so that the stopper I0 may be moved out of line with the open mouth of the neck 2 of the tube to permit the material contained by the tube to be discharged. This form of `my invention has the advantage oi.' preventing the stopper from being completely disassociated from the tube,rthereby preventing the stopper from becoming lost or misplaced.

In .the drawing, Figs. 4, 6, 'I and 8, I have shown a stopper or cork having a circular top with a comparatively narrow flange below which extends the tapered plunger. I` have illustrated this simple form of stopper in order to emphasize the fact that it has an externally threaded plunger. l However, I contemplate using a stopper such as i'sillustrated in Fig. 9, the top portion l5 oi which, instead of being circular, may be polygonal, preferably hexagonal in form, and in which the ange I5a`of the top portion willextend downwardly approximately the same distance as the externally threaded plunger I8. This structure gives protection against possible injury which might otherwise be received from the pointed'end oi the plunger, for example, if the stopper is dropped on the floor and stepped upon. The stopper having the polygonal top and flange portion has the added advantage oi.

not rolling when laid down and is convenient to handle.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a dispensing container comprising a stopper having a helical, external thread, a tube with a hollow neck having an internal annular lip at its outer end, the lip of said neck having a shoulder and a helical concavity inclined from the top to the bottom of said shoulder and adapted to engage said thread.`

2. In combination, a pointed stopper having a helical, external thread, a tube having a hollow neck to receive said stopper, said neck having its upper end closed by a thin partition until it is opened by insertion of the stopper in said neck, and an internal lip on said neck provided with a helical concavity corresponding with the helix angle of the external thread on said stopper and adapted to engage said thread.

3. In combination, a dispensing container comprising a pointed externally threaded stopper, a tube with a hollow neck closed at its upper end prior to the insertion of the stopper therein, and an internal lip at the closed end of the neck having a shoulder and a helical concavity inclined from the top of said shoulder around the lip ofthe neck to the bottom of said shoulder, the angle of said incline corresponding with the helix angle of the thread on said stopper.

4. A closure for dispensing containers, comprising a tube having a hollow neck closed at its upper end by a diaphragm having a depression at its center surrounded by a helical concavity, and a stopper having a pointed end adapted to puncture the center of said diaphragm and having an external thread adapted to engage the said helical concavity in said diaphragm.

5. In combination, a tube having an openended neck provided with a helical concavity, a stopper insertable therein having a helical external thread adapted to engage said concavity,

anda wire, one end of which is secured to said stopper and the other end of which is retained within the tube in such a manner that the wire` ls capable of free rotary movement or limited :xial movement with respect to the neck of said ube.

6. In combination, a tube having an open-ended neck provided with a helical concavity, a stopper adapted to be seated in said neck and having a helical, external thread adapted -to engage said concavity, and means -interconnecting the stopper and the tube in such a manner that the stopper is freely rotatable and capable of a limited movement away from said tube.

'1. In combination,a dispensing container, comprising astopper having a tapered externally threaded plunger and a polygonal ange surrounding said plunger, a tube with a hollow neck having an internal lip at its outer end, the ange of said stopper being sumciently spaced from the plunger` to receive the neck of said tube thereinbetween, the lip of said neckhaving a helical concavity inclined at an angle corresponding to the helix angle on thethread of said stopper.

8. A dispensing container comprising the combination,'with a. tube having a neck with a lip provided with a helical concavity, of a stopper for said tube having a helical, external thread inclined at an angle corresponding to the helix angle of, and adapted to engage, said concavity. 

